- Rajiv Gandhi gave women the opportunity to contest in civic elections: Vibha
- Former Mayor Vibha Patel honored distinguished women
Bhopal: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, on Sunday, at the Suruchi Nari Shakti Samman ceremony at the Navbharat campus, former State Women’s Congress President and former Mayor Vibha Patel honored women who have achieved outstanding work in various fields.
On this occasion, senior member and guide of the Navbharat family, Mrs. Brij Prafull Maheshwari, Suruchi Editor Pooja Maheshwari, Navbharat Managing Editor Sumit Maheshwari, social worker Shubhangi Singh, and several other women were also present.
In their addresses, various speakers emphasized the need for women to be economically and socially independent. They also emphasized that women must be physically and mentally healthy, so they can effectively discharge their family and professional responsibilities.
In addition to chief guest Vibha Patel, speakers included state BJP spokesperson Neha Bagga, mountaineer Megha Parmar, President of the Begums of Bhopal Club Rakhshan Shamim Zahid, and social workers and educators. At the conclusion of the program, Suruchi editor Pooja Maheshwari expressed her gratitude to all guests.
Motivational speaker and social worker Shubhangi Singh, state BJP spokesperson Neha Bagga, and mountaineer Megha Parmar, while wishing women a Happy Women’s Day, said that women face both family and health challenges, so they should pay special attention to maintaining complete physical and mental health. Only then can they fulfill their responsibilities. Podcaster Anushka Tiwari, social worker Poonam Shroti, tribal artist-painter Bhuri Bai, public and state BJP spokesperson Neha Bagga, mountaineer Megha Parmar, women entrepreneur Asha Davani, Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation Shabista Zaki, dietician Varsha Srivastava, content creator Sumita Sirothia, educationist Usha Khare, doctor and social worker Dr. Renu Sharma, businesswoman Pramila Jhanwar and President of Begums of Bhopal Club Rakhshan Shamim Zahid were honored in the event. Dr. Ayesha Ali, Registrar of Madhya Pradesh Homeopathy Council, was also among those honored.
In our country, men also gave women opportunities to advance: Vibha
As the chief guest, former Mayor Vibha Patel said in her address that in countries like the United States, women took nearly a hundred years to secure their rights. In India too, women had to struggle to achieve their rights, but the duration and scale of that struggle were comparatively less. Recalling then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, she said that he opened the way for women to contest municipal elections. It was then questioned where so many women would come from, but the truth is that women participated enthusiastically in the elections. She clarified that she was not invoking Mr. Gandhi’s name for political reasons, but simply presenting the truth. Referring to the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century, Mrs. Patel said that at that time, very few girls chose subjects like mathematics after the eighth grade. Now, women are becoming mountaineers, winning medals in swimming competitions, and even appearing in the media. But such fantasies were impossible at that time. In our country, men also gave women opportunities to advance.
Learned the nuances of journalism at Central Chronicle: Rakhshan Shamim
Rakhshan Shamim Zahid, President of the Begums of Bhopal Club, said in her address that she began her career at Central Chronicle, an English daily of the Navbharat Group. Recalling the old days, she said that she was taught the nuances of journalism very seriously then. Now, she works in the social sector, and her main goal is the social and economic upliftment of women. She is also focusing on women’s education.
